


The Spare Sister

by fannyanne



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: A lot of trouble is caused honestly, Cullen is clueless, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Inquisitor & Dorian Pavus Friendship, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Rogue Inquisitor - Freeform, Slow Burn, Strong Language, Trevelyan (Dragon Age) has Sibling(s), Trevelyan causes trouble, Trevelyan siblings cause trouble
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:34:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25044715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fannyanne/pseuds/fannyanne
Summary: Four very different Trevelyan siblings. Any one of them could have become Inquisitor. Elysia Trevelyan would never have guessed that it would be her. And really? She may not have been the best one for the job.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Cullen Rutherford/Original Female Character(s), Cullen Rutherford/Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 5





	The Spare Sister

**Author's Note:**

> Bonjour.
> 
> This may be the first fic that I've written that deserves to see the light of day but then again it also may not. Either way, I am new to this so pretty please go easy on me!
> 
> Honestly, I'm not sure what this is but it is a thing.
> 
> I own not a thing
> 
> Ps. I'm from the UK so extra 'u's abound

**_‘You can’t start a fire without a spark’_ **

  
  
“Maker’s breath Elyisa, my word is final!” 

Ellora Trevelyan’s enduring composure snapped as her fist slammed against the desk of her private office. Her sister, Elyisa, narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward, bracing two hands against the desk, and prepared her rebuttal. This was a vicious dance that both sisters knew far too well, except this time there was a dangerous undercurrent to their argument. Elyisa’s request had been a simple one: that the Trevelyan siblings accept the invite extended to them and attend the chantry conclave. Ellora, being the eldest sibling and the heir to their deceased father’s bannorn, had promised that she would take this request into consideration. Elysia took her at her word, that is until she discovered the formal invitation discarded and crumpled with its chantry seal still intact. 

“All you had to do was open the letter and at least consider this for a second but no, even that momentary thought would take up too much time in the busy schedule of Bann Trevelyan!”

Sighing deeply, Ellora pinched the bridge of her nose and attempted to pool every ounce of impassivity that she could muster into her being before calmly stating, “You’re acting like a child. I did not need to consider anything, Elysia. My mind has been made up from the moment I first heard rumours about this wretched conclave. It’s too dangerous and we are not going. End of discussion.”

“End of discussion? End of fucking discussion?? So you snap your fingers and what? My mouth magically shuts and my mind clears miraculously? How bloody wonderful! I wish I had such power!” 

“Eylsia, I-” 

“No, you let me finish. How dare you call me a child when all you want to do is sit here and cower? Of course the conclave is going to be dangerous; they’re trying to end a war! How can you not want to be a part of that? And even if that wasn’t the case, how can you forget about Amira?”

The moment that name left Elysia’s lips, a palpable disquiet entered the room. Suddenly the air between the two sisters felt unbearably heavy as their stares locked, years of shared trauma passing between them. Elora finally broke the connection to glance tiredly at the ceiling, allowing the divide between the two of them to continue to widen. 

“You know better than anyone that I would never forget her. For you to suggest such a thing…” For the second time that evening, Ellora summoned her self-control as she closed her eyes and quietly declared, “It matters not. Whatever my reasoning, my decision stands. We can talk ourselves in circles for hours but nothing will change. The risk is too great; the Trevelyans will not attend the conclave. I am the head of this family and, like I said, my word is final. End. Of. Discussion.”

The finality in Ellora’s tone struck Elyisa like a physical blow. She took in her half sister, acknowledging the clear differences between the two of them. The eldest of four children, Ellora Trevelyan was born to lead whilst Elysia was simply born. One sibling to inherit the bannorn, one to join the templars, one to join the chantry and one to simply be. The spare. As much as she had tried to not resent her sister, it came as naturally to Elyisa as breathing. With her blonde hair styled into a perfect braided bun, her refined features and her unwavering decorum, Ellora was a consummate representation of everything that she was not. What was worse, was that she always won. Whenever they came to blows, all Ellora had to do was square her shoulders, pull rank and that was that. 

Pushing herself up from leaning against Ellora’s desk, Elyisa dropped into a mock curtsy as her hands balled into fists, further crushing the invitation that she still held in her right hand. With derision dripping from every word, she fixed her eldest sibling with a sarcastic grin and sneered, “Well when the great Bann utters such direction, I can only obey! It is, as always, my heart’s desire to follow your command, darling sister. Thank you for wasting your precious time on my silly,  _ childish  _ whims.”

With that final twist of the knife, Elyisa flew out of the office, catching the door and slamming it hard enough to rattle the frame. With her sister now out of sight, Ellora’s composure instantly crumbled and her head fell into her hands as she shook with silent sobs. 

A singular thought possessed Elysia as she hurtled down the hallways to her quarters:  _ I am my own damn person _ . She quickly grabbed the pre-packed saddlebag that was stuffed under her bed in case exactly what just happened, happened. Short tempered and belligerent she could be but she was also a realist. She knew her sister and she knew that this was the most likely outcome. She also knew herself and she knew that she had no real choice here.

Glancing at her vanity, she noticed that the characteristic black kohl that always heavily lined her eyes had been smudged by tears she did not realise were falling. She forced herself to stop her impassioned rampage, taking a second to measure her breaths and calm her erratic heartbeat. Carefully wiping away the few tears that had shed, she reminded herself why she was doing this:  _ I have to be there, if there’s a chance then I have to be there. _ She stared her reflection down, re-applied the liner and tried to ignore the eyes glaring back at her. The eyes that almost exactly matched Ellora’s. The eyes that, for all their disparate looks, tied all four Trevelyan siblings together. With her dark hair and tanned skin, Elysia looked out of place except for her eyes. A striking pale blue that looked almost silver in certain lights. Their father’s eyes. 

_ He would want me to do this, void take Ellora and her petty concerns.  _

With her warpaint now adorning her face and a new resolve burning in her chest, Elysia changed into her lightweight hunter’s coat and affixed her twin blades into the straps across her back. Her rogue training was one of the many secrets that she kept from her family and was the result of being the leftover child with no clear purpose. Whilst she prayed that her skills with daggers and subterfuge would not be necessary, she knew that leaving the weapons behind would be foolish. A retainer consisting of distant relatives would be honoring their ties to the chantry and attending the conclave, however, since Ellora had declined their offer, Elysia would not be able to accompany them. This meant that the safety provided by traveling in a party would not be an option for her. Not to mention the danger of the conclave itself. 

With a final sweep of her room and a quick glance at her reflection, Elysia pushed aside a tapestry concealing an archway at the back of her room. Whilst exploring as a child, she had discovered a network of abandoned passageways that spanned the whole of her family’s keep. Displaying an unnerving knack for deception for such a young age, she had covered the access point and begged her parents to move her from the family quarters to this old servant’s room. When pressed, she simply stated that her brother’s snoring was preventing her from sleep and that the seclusion would help with her studies. Her parents finally caved from her relentless appeal and the passages proved to be a lifeline for her over the years. They once again proved their use as she used them to leave the keep without alerting her sister.

Once she reached the stables, she began readying her favourite horse for the long journey. With everything in place, the saddlebag securely attached, the damaged but intact invitation safely inside and her traveling cloak wrapped around her shoulders, Elysia began to lead the stead out of the stables when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Leaving is one thing, Ellie, but leaving in the dead of night without saying goodbye? Sister, you cut me right to the core.”

Elysia sighed “Maxwell.”

“Yes, Maxwell. Or had you two forgotten that you aren’t the only ones who live here?” 

The young warrior stepped out from the shadows, cutting an impressive figure in the faint moonlight. Despite his height, Max’s darker hair meant that he was the sibling Elysia most resembled. This resemblance extended past appearances, however. After Ellora’s mother died in childbirth and Bann Trevelyan’s second wife provided him with a son, a male heir, it was widely assumed that the boy would be the natural successor to the bannorn. Yet as time went on, it became clear that one child was fit to manage an estate whilst the other had a sole aptitude for hitting things. It was decided then that Ellora would inherit the bannorn and Maxwell would be given to the templars. This decision lasted a year into his initial training when his supervising commander declared that his wild and undisciplined temperament branded him unsuitable to serve the order. What was a great shame for the family, now served as a comfort to Elysia. At least she wasn’t the only Trevelyan failure. 

A crushing sense of relief engulfed her as she accepted the offer of Max’s outstretched arms and stepped into his embrace. She had hated the thought of sneaking off without seeing her brother first. Elysia’s apology rushed out of her without any warning, “I’m sorry, I really am but I didn’t want to risk Ellora finding out and you know that I have to do this and-”

“Woah, Ellie, I know. And I agree with you. Why else do you think I’m standing here and not dragging you back inside by the scruff of your neck?” Max laughed and ruffled his sister’s hair.

“That’s a good point actually. Why are you here and how did you know I would be leaving?”

“After that screaming match earlier that the whole damn keep heard every word of, I assumed that you would show up here sooner or later.” Max shrugged, “I know you a lot better than ‘Lora, it seems, and I knew you wouldn’t take no for an answer on this. So I decided to wait out here and here you are, proving me right, as always.”

“Well, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for long, smart arse. It’s not exactly a warm night.”

“Ah don’t you worry about that, little sister. The groundskeeper’s daughter helped me find warmth a plenty as I waited.” 

At this proclamation a stifled feminine giggle erupted from across the stables. Elysia rolled her eyes in disbelief, “Oh, Andraste’s tits Maxwell! Can you not control yourself for one Maker blessed minute? Honestly, I… Wait-” A small flicker of hope stirred in Elysia’s chest, “You said you agreed with me. Does this mean that you’ll come with me?”

Max slowly shook his head, “No, Ellie, it doesn’t. Whilst I support what you’re doing, you know that this will crush ‘Lora. She’s nowhere near as strong as she pretends to be and she will need someone to pick up the pieces when you’re gone. I don’t like sending you off all alone but at least I know you can take care of yourself.”

“This could all be avoided by us setting out as a family. I wouldn’t have to travel alone and Ellora wouldn’t have to be disappointed in me.”

“Do you honestly think that is how she will feel when she discovers you are gone? Disappointed?”

“Why not? Being disappointed in me is her favourite pastime. This will just be another in a series of let downs.”

“Maker, you’re as bad as each other. She cares about you, Ellie. She cares about all of us. That’s why she doesn’t want us attending the conclave. After Ami- after everything that’s happened, she doesn’t want to risk anything happening to us. Surely you can see that this isn’t just out of spite?”

Dropping her head, Elysia let her anger fade as she listened to her brother’s reasoning. Deep down, she had known the truth of this all along but it had been easier to disobey her sister’s command by pretending that it was fueled by pettiness. 

“You’re right, Max. It doesn’t change anything, but you’re right.” Attempting to lighten the mood again, she jabbed a finger at her brother’s chest, “Look at you being all serious and responsible. I never thought I’d see the day!”

Max’s face split into its usual grin, breaking the uncharacteristic frown that had been there, “Right back at you, little one! At least this responsible decision is also reckless at the same time. If it wasn’t for that, we might have to worry about our reputations as the family mavericks!” 

Elysia smiled, albeit sadly. She had delayed long enough. Every minute that passed posed further risk of discovery. Max caught on quickly and pulled her in for a final embrace before gently pushing her back to her horse.

“Come on then, Ellie, begone with you. Get your arse on that horse before ‘Lora comes charging out in her nightgown and cap.”

Laughing as she mounted her horse, Elysia readied the reins before glancing back at her brother. “Max, I-”

“I know, El, I know. And if, um, all goes to plan and-” Max cleared his throat to try and remove the lump that had formed there, “If she is, um, if you do- just tell her I, I-”

“I know Max, I know,” She repeated his words, catching his meaning easily despite the poor delivery, “And I will. I promise.” 

She took his hand one last time, squeezing it before requesting, “Take care of our sister for me. Maker knows she won’t make it easy but she will need you.”

“You have my word as an almost templar. And you look after yourself, Ellie. You better come home so ‘Lora can scold you silly.” 

With a final grin, Elysia bade her brother goodbye and spurred her horse into a gallop. Any doubts fled her mind as the wind rushed through her hair. She was doing the right thing and for once in her life she was going to be more than the spare sister. 

**Author's Note:**

> And that's that.
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcome as long as ya'll don't make me cry.
> 
> Also no idea if being kicked out of templar training for being a rowdy arse is a thing but hey ho, it is now.


End file.
